If your senior is in the hospital, you need to know what can cause a rehospitalization. If you are unaware of what that even means, don’t worry. A rehospitalization simply means that when a senior is discharged from the hospital, something happens, and they are readmitted. The older a senior gets the more likely it can happen. Luckily, the right help at home from senior home care providers and the knowledge of what usually causes someone to get readmitted again can help a family ensure this does not happen to their elderly loved one.
Here is what you need to know to avoid rehospitalizations with the help of senior home care services:
Hire More Help from a Senior Home Care Agency
Before a senior even gets out of the hospital, your loved one, who is determined to age in place, should have the right care set up at home. You will need to evaluate what your senior will need and even ask a doctor for recommendations.
If your loved one is going to need help with basic tasks like cleaning, cooking, bathing, or getting dressed, they may just need someone like senior home care providers to help them out. Senior home care can be crucial to ensure a senior does not hurt themselves doing daily activities, and it will help ensure they do not need to be rehospitalized or rehomed.
On the other hand, if your senior loved one is going to need wound care, medication management, or shots at home, they will need a skilled nurse to stop by to ensure a senior is following a doctor’s orders. Sometimes, in special cases, a senior will need help from both professionals. This is something that a doctor and family members need to discuss and set up before a senior even leaves the hospital to help prevent rehospitalizations.
Manage Chronic Conditions
If your senior is battling any chronic conditions, this can make it easier for them to return to the hospital for an extended period. Uncontrolled chronic problems can cause a serious threat to seniors, especially if they have already been in the hospital.
If your senior is not working with a doctor regularly, there is a higher chance that they will end up back in the hospital. It is important to ensure that seniors get the right help and talk to their primary care doctor throughout their hospital stay and right after their hospital stay. This will help them avoid rehospitalization.
They May Have Complications
As a senior gets older the chance that they will need surgery becomes much higher. They may get discharged from the hospital a few days after the surgery, but if there are any complications while at home, they may need to get readmitted to the hospital to be monitored.
It is important to listen to the doctor’s instructions and get help from senior home care professionals when necessary to avoid being readmitted and to recover better after surgery.
A Senior Can Get Infections
If your senior is not following a doctor’s orders or their space is not clean enough after a hospital stay, they may start battling infections. This is one of the biggest reasons why seniors typically have to get readmitted to the hospital. This is not something a senior wants to deal with, and it can be painful.
It is important to do everything in your power to help a senior avoid infections after a hospital visit and senior home care providers can provide the assistance and support you and your loved one need.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care in Chapel Hill, NC, please contact the caring staff at Affordable Family Care.
Serving Raleigh, Greensboro, and the surrounding areas in North Carolina. Call today at (919) 676-1070
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